Probably, but baseball is a bit different. Extra innings were introduced in the 19th century and unchanged for over a century.
Other sports like hockey and football were content to have regular season games wind up in a draw after regulation for several decades. It was fine, until someone decided it wasn't.
Basketball has played OT periods in the regular season forever but thankfully have not felt the need to settle a tie after the 1st OT with a 3 point shooting contest.
As someone who use to keep score at every game i attended from the early 80s through about 2012, I approve the rule if only because it brings meaning back to a 5-3 putout.
Only one of the "new" rules I despise is the starting extra innings with a "ghost runner" on 2nd base.
It has had the desired effect of avoiding marathon extra inning games, but it's a cheap finger-on-the-scale type of change that betrays the spirit of the sport. You are suppose to earn your way on base.
The fact that they don't implement the rule during the playoffs is a clear admission that the concept is BS.
Bell Labs was way ahead of Bellerose Lanes (Queens, NY) in that era. I remember the grease pencils and transparent score sheets that were projected above each lane for my parents League Night.
Did your automated scoring system look like the one Yogi Berra was selling in this commercial?
Next thing you know, they will be putting player names on the back of the jerseys.
Also wondering what "well groomed" entails. Can't wait for the inevitable stupid controversies. Yankees have not had one since George made Donnie Baseball cut his hair.
To answer your question, I read the quote and thought - that's a curious Orwell attribution and wondered about the context, because it didn't sound particularly Orwellian.
I Googled but couldn't find the source. I asked ChatGPT a couple of ways and its response was: The quote “The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it.” is attributed to George Orwell, but there is no clear record of him writing or saying it in any of his known works. It does not appear in his books, essays, or journalistic writings.
I prompted Gronk, and it had a similar output.
Hence my confidence. Lesson learned.
In my defense, Thornton did write "but as George Orwell supposedly said" - so I'm not the only one here unfamiliar with this essay. And as I suspected, having now read the essay, the context of the Orwell quote doesn't actually support the OPs neocon argument.
On one hand, "war comedy" was never an expansive film category. It's probably the hardest needle to thread on film. So without a generation of talented writers (Hooker, Heller, Vonnegut, etc) providing bonafide source material, you're not going to see many attempts made at original screenplays. With every generation, we have fewer and fewer people serving in the military, so that veteran-writer voice has become smaller and smaller.
That said, Jo Jo Rabbit is an absolutely brilliant film. (The only recent example of war comedy I could think of...)
"Why do these fringers reflect on the Dems when right wing fringers, it seems, don’t reflect on the GOP? Why do we generally not hear our various unaligned centrists calling on the GOP to denounce their fringers?"
The Democrats' entire messaging strategy for the past few election cycles was to label any and every GOP candidate a "MAGA Extremist." It was a staple in every speech, every rally, in every race - across country.
If everyone in the GOP is an extremist. no one is. There is nothing to be gained by calling wackos out.
Probably, like most people, "his music" was being made between the ages of 16-22. If your pop graduated high school around 75, the Beatles were irrelevant. Something his friends older sister might still be into, but definitely not cool.
I actually sort of get that take tho. To my Gen X ears, the evolution from singer driven pop in 62/63 to 64-65 Brit pop is far more subtle than when things started to "get weird" with Revolver/St Pepper around 1966.
For my father (who graduated HS the spring the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan), songs like Help and I Wanna Hold Your Hand were a bridge too far. This is well before a sitar made its way onto a Beatle record!
What's sort of ironic is that early invasion Brit Rock was closer to mid-50s RnR than where U.S. music was in the early 60s. It's a demarcation but also a quasi-return to making a racket with those instruments.
It's funny. You'd find common ground with my father who is an early boomer who despises the Beatles. Not for any actual musical critique beyond the British Invasion ended his active listening to pop music. He was/is a late 50s/early 60s Dion & the Belmonts doo-op kind of guy.
On “Opening Day at the Church of Baseball”
Probably, but baseball is a bit different. Extra innings were introduced in the 19th century and unchanged for over a century.
Other sports like hockey and football were content to have regular season games wind up in a draw after regulation for several decades. It was fine, until someone decided it wasn't.
Basketball has played OT periods in the regular season forever but thankfully have not felt the need to settle a tie after the 1st OT with a 3 point shooting contest.
"
It was a special Covid rule intended to avoid blowing out pitching staffs in a shortened season bc of one 18-inning game.
Now its sole purpose is to protect the $$$ invested in those arms and it is never going away. Unfortunately.
"
As someone who use to keep score at every game i attended from the early 80s through about 2012, I approve the rule if only because it brings meaning back to a 5-3 putout.
"
Only one of the "new" rules I despise is the starting extra innings with a "ghost runner" on 2nd base.
It has had the desired effect of avoiding marathon extra inning games, but it's a cheap finger-on-the-scale type of change that betrays the spirit of the sport. You are suppose to earn your way on base.
The fact that they don't implement the rule during the playoffs is a clear admission that the concept is BS.
On “Signal Controversy Over Houthi Strikes Deepens”
Presidents have been appointing idiots to important cabinet positions for a very long time. That's not his problem.
His problem is the needlessly doubling down by lying about the info not being classified and the refusal to just take an L, fire Waltz, and move on.
This is an unforced error made far worse by the response which is now a contagion for the entire administration.
On “Bowling — Balling Up the Score”
Bell Labs was way ahead of Bellerose Lanes (Queens, NY) in that era. I remember the grease pencils and transparent score sheets that were projected above each lane for my parents League Night.
Did your automated scoring system look like the one Yogi Berra was selling in this commercial?
https://youtu.be/FFjWXOYVtbU?si=OI9A3ZZ1FW7qITgr
On “Of Amtrak, AI, and Arguing About Trains on the Interwebs”
I came of age when The Fly starring Jeff Goldblum was on HBO twice a day, every day in the late 80s.
Imma let you go first.
"
This.
The future of human transportation will not be tethered to rail.
Fantasy about hi-speed trains in the US is a 20th century vision of the future. It's not the direction our reality is moving.
On “Series! Recap of World Series of the 1920s”
Slippery slope.
Next thing you know, they will be putting player names on the back of the jerseys.
Also wondering what "well groomed" entails. Can't wait for the inevitable stupid controversies. Yankees have not had one since George made Donnie Baseball cut his hair.
"
Nihilo sanctum estne?
On “Beware: Promises Being Kept”
Thanks for sharing this. Great essay.
To answer your question, I read the quote and thought - that's a curious Orwell attribution and wondered about the context, because it didn't sound particularly Orwellian.
I Googled but couldn't find the source. I asked ChatGPT a couple of ways and its response was: The quote “The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it.” is attributed to George Orwell, but there is no clear record of him writing or saying it in any of his known works. It does not appear in his books, essays, or journalistic writings.
I prompted Gronk, and it had a similar output.
Hence my confidence. Lesson learned.
In my defense, Thornton did write "but as George Orwell supposedly said" - so I'm not the only one here unfamiliar with this essay. And as I suspected, having now read the essay, the context of the Orwell quote doesn't actually support the OPs neocon argument.
"
I appreciate the attempt to defend a neocon position with a George Orwell quote.
Only problem is that there is no evidence he ever said or wrote that sentence - or anything like it.
On “The 97th Oscars’ Best Picture Race: As Wide Open As It Gets”
Figure about 16 million Americans served in the armed forces during WW2. That's a lot of people who could personally relate to a book like Catch 22.
"
Interesting point.
On one hand, "war comedy" was never an expansive film category. It's probably the hardest needle to thread on film. So without a generation of talented writers (Hooker, Heller, Vonnegut, etc) providing bonafide source material, you're not going to see many attempts made at original screenplays. With every generation, we have fewer and fewer people serving in the military, so that veteran-writer voice has become smaller and smaller.
That said, Jo Jo Rabbit is an absolutely brilliant film. (The only recent example of war comedy I could think of...)
"
According to current betting odds, the Best Picture race is not wide open.
The Brutalist is the clear favorite at -140
The next best odds are for Emilia Perez at +340.
Jaybird - Get your $5 on Wicked. At +1600 you'll get a health $85 payout.
On “Fannie Farmer, Mickey Mouse, and the Virtues of Cheating”
Great stuff, Ben. Per usual.
On “Open Mic for the week of 1/20/2025”
Question for the lawyers here:
Besides Nixon being pardoned by Ford, has a POTUS ever issued a preemptive pardon to an individual not actually charged with a federal crime?
On “Weekend Plans Post: One Single Good Song in 2024”
My favorite song of 2024 was "Friend Of A Friend" by The Smile (Thom York, Jonny Greenwood, Tom Skinner)
On “The Shakedown”
Oh, sweet summer child.
On “Trump’s Ace in the Hole”
"Why do these fringers reflect on the Dems when right wing fringers, it seems, don’t reflect on the GOP? Why do we generally not hear our various unaligned centrists calling on the GOP to denounce their fringers?"
The Democrats' entire messaging strategy for the past few election cycles was to label any and every GOP candidate a "MAGA Extremist." It was a staple in every speech, every rally, in every race - across country.
If everyone in the GOP is an extremist. no one is. There is nothing to be gained by calling wackos out.
"
This reminds me, I need to get back in the gym if I plan on seeing the Tricentennial.
Hopefully by 2076, 104 will be the new 90.
On “No Fighting In the War Room: Pete Hegseth Confirmation Hearing Livestream Edition”
Counterpoint: You don't have to enjoy alcohol to run the DoD, but it sure helps.
On “Open Mic for the week of 1/6/2025”
Probably, like most people, "his music" was being made between the ages of 16-22. If your pop graduated high school around 75, the Beatles were irrelevant. Something his friends older sister might still be into, but definitely not cool.
"
I actually sort of get that take tho. To my Gen X ears, the evolution from singer driven pop in 62/63 to 64-65 Brit pop is far more subtle than when things started to "get weird" with Revolver/St Pepper around 1966.
For my father (who graduated HS the spring the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan), songs like Help and I Wanna Hold Your Hand were a bridge too far. This is well before a sitar made its way onto a Beatle record!
What's sort of ironic is that early invasion Brit Rock was closer to mid-50s RnR than where U.S. music was in the early 60s. It's a demarcation but also a quasi-return to making a racket with those instruments.
"
Iconoclast!
It's funny. You'd find common ground with my father who is an early boomer who despises the Beatles. Not for any actual musical critique beyond the British Invasion ended his active listening to pop music. He was/is a late 50s/early 60s Dion & the Belmonts doo-op kind of guy.